"For Fine Dining Sector, Tip Pools Can Be Legal Trap," Law360

July 2, 2014

On July 1, 2014, Law360 turned to Michele Stumpe for expert guidance on recent lawsuits over restaurant tip pool violations in its article, “For Fine Dining Sector, Tip Pools Can Be Legal Trap.” Fine dining establishments packed with sommeliers, mixologists and other high-end specialists that tend to take on some managerial duties are facing greater risks of becoming targets for litigation or Department of Labor audits. When deciding who should be included in tip pools, Stumpe suggests that restaurant owners are starting to see the need to be more careful and cautious with respect to gray-area employees, including workers who sometimes perform the same function as other tipped employees but also have some nontipped or supervisory duties. Law360 subscribers can read the full article here.